Police removed two intoxicated teenagers from the Darien High School campus Saturday, including a 17-year-old New Canaan boy, during separate incidents that occurred as problems with drinking emerged among student fans at a lacrosse game.
The boy was found passed out in the woods near a baseball field around 3:30 p.m., according to a Darien Police Department spokesperson—after the Blue Wave’s boys varsity lacrosse team bested the Rams 10-7.
The boy, when he came to, told officers he had been drinking at a friend’s house in New Canaan before he went to a sports game at Darien with friends, who left him there, according to a police report.
Police called in Darien EMS-Post 53 to see if he needed to go to the hospital, but the EMTs cleared him to be released. The boy’s parents were away, but police were able to contact them, the spokesperson said. The boy was released at about 4 p.m. to a friend of the family, according to police.
It isn’t clear whether the boy was charged.
Separately, a female teenager was taken from the Darien High School campus Saturday to a hospital after she was found intoxicated, police said. No further information was available on her case.
New Canaan High School’s principal on Monday addressed an email to students and copied the wider NCHS community, saying he was “disappointed with the behavior of a few our students at the Darien/NC lacrosse game.”
“Consuming or possessing alcohol, threatening or harassing others, acting disrespectfully, and/or any behaviors that would not be tolerated in school will not be permitted at these contests,” principal William Egan said in his email. “If it is witnessed, students will be removed from the game and may face significant disciplinary action in school, up to and including suspension. Also, it is important to note that it is illegal for anyone, regardless of age, to possess alcohol on school grounds at any time.”
Egan said those who attend games have the right to do so “without hearing profanity and seeing students make negative choices.”
Hello Michael Dinan,
I have been reading the Newcanaanite for quite some time now, and your most recent post (The one about drunk new canaan teen) really ticked me off. You post these articles about these kids getting drunk and in trouble, only worsens the situation. You do realize that these kids are already humiliated from the way the acted, and they more then likely will face serious repercussions from their school, family, and police. You are adding more humiliation to the ordeal. You realize how stressed these kids are about getting into college, exceeding unrealistic standards set by our town, and achieving ultimate athletic success. This all has to be put before the kid’s overall happiness, and it is a shame that you do not see how these posts can destroy a kid’s life. Parent’s will gossip about the article and look down upon the kid. I know who the kid was, and he is a great kid. You are trying to ruin lives and it is a bad look for you and the Newcanaanite. This is not news to anyone, it is just gossip that does not need to be posted. You do not have any credibility on the topic as shown by you not knowing if charges were brought against him. Next time, do research before posting some dumbass article to give solace to yourself for not having friends.
Seriously reconsider your work,
John Isaacs
Thank you for submitting your comment. While we believe underage drinking is a serious matter and should not be swept under the rug, we’re also very sensitive at New Canaanite not to exacerbate matters for people who make mistakes, and that includes creating new problems for people who are arrested. That’s why we do not publish the names of people when they are arrested. Normally, I would not approve a comment submitted with personal attacks and name-calling, but in this case I myself was the target of the anger, so I am allowing it here. Should others choose to weigh in on the thread and you feel a need to respond, you will kindly be more respectful in your tone and vocabulary. No comment appears on NewCanaanite.com without my reviewing it first. Thanks in advance, and have a nice weekend.
Michael — another great job of reporting … but for those “nay sayers” who have replied, i suggest you tell the full story that you did at your coffee … that it was a number of kids who got drunk, then drove to game, then used profanities and barffed all over the place, and scared many younger children by they words and actions.
For those kids and parents who allowed the “problem” and “embarrassment” for the good town of New Canaan to take place …. when faced with the truth, deny everything!
Also you should note that it was only New Canaan people who were the problem … no drunks this time from Darien!
I actually didn’t know any of that myself, though you are right that it came up as a discussion topic at our monthly coffee. Because there was no verification from police in the incident report, I did not make it part of the article—the “pregame” drinking or the vomiting in the stands and port-a-johns. Whether any of that is true or not, I cannot say as I wasn’t there.
a mother of a 5th grader who sat next to me at coffee and whose child attended the game talked at the coffee about the barfffing and profanities in the stands … someone else mentioned about at least 1 new canaan kid being taken of in ambulance
John Isaacs,
Get a real problem. Dinan didn’t mention anyone by name. College pressure is no excuse for acting like a spoiled brat. How can a post that doesn’t name a someone by name “destroy a kid’s life.”
Mr. Isaac,
The one who should be embarrassed here is you. Mike reported on this because police and EMTs were dispatched to the game. He did his job which is more than I can say for the parents of these kids. I understand kids drink and at times over imbibe but defending a kid passed out in the woods or the behavior I saw from others at the game is misguided and foolish. The pressures of college and sports are too much? Please. These kids were partying as kids do but don’t make stupid excuses for them.
Michael….well said….and when kids act disrespectful we know from where they learned it!!!
Any backlash to the reporting of this incident (which involved police) is seriously misguided. No names were used and only facts were stated. Everyone makes mistakes, but there are always repercussions. Sweeping things under the rug or deciding to ‘look the other way’ would do more harm than good.
john Isaacs,
Don’t kill the messenger. Choices have consequences.
Lack of consequences breeds a generation who believes that there are no limits on them. Shame is a powerful teaching tool. Alcohol should not be used by children. Period. Parents “gossiping” is the least of the problems those families involved should be worried about. Lack of judgement and no respect for others would be far more important. Clearly, many are guilty of that. Words, however, are not as dangerous as drunk drivers. They can kill people.
Aside from the illegal, underage drinking that took place – how about the boys “so-called” friends who left him passed out in the woods. Shame on them!
FYI to John Isaacs – Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States. Youth who start drinking before age 15 years are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 21 years.
John Isaacs…”people who live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones!”
We have a drinking and drug problem in New Canaan. The advertiser reported a specific incident related to this broader issue, and did not list the name of the minor who was the focus of the article. The problem lies in the fact that the ensuing discussion ignores the larger drug problem that statistics indicated, impacts almost three-quarters of our students and focuses blame on the few that got caught and their parents.
Other than my friends who completely abstain from alcohol for religious purposes, I don’t know anyone who didn’t get drunk at least once before the legal drinking age. This isn’t meant to condone underage drinking – however, its suggests that a few more people should get off their soap box before judging others. There are parents who simply don’t pay enough attention or ask enough questions. There are parents who think they know what their kids are doing and don’t. One of the challenges is that teens change, and change quickly. You have a history with a teen being trustworthy so you allow them greater freedoms…some teens live up to that responsibility while others may “hang themselves” with a little too much rope. It is completely feasible to have parents who are extremely on top of parenting – ask questions, set ground rules – and still have a child that makes an unfortunate choice. From the SADD website: “Alcohol use remains extremely widespread among today’s teenagers. Nearly three quarters of students (72%) have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school, and more than a third (37%) have done so by eighth grade.” Again, I’m not condoning middle school or high school drinking, but I think the statistics indicate a few more people need to focus on the broader issue rather than pointing fingers at the few students who do get caught. Chances are, at least one of your teens drinks, other parents know it, and you look like a hypocrite when you judge others.
Teens make mistakes. As a community, how to we help them learn from those mistakes and move on? Shaming and blaming is usually not helpful in that goal. “Shame” reporting on adults can also have ill effects on innocent people. One New Canaan parent has been reported more than once for intoxication-related offenses. This parent, who has children in our school system, likely has an addiction issue. This person needs help. When the reporting shames them, it also shames their children and makes them a target at school for gossip.
We have an alcohol and drug problem in New Canaan. It’s been reported in the press many times. When parents read these articles, rather than gossiping about the “who” – use it as an excuse to have a discussion with your kids about expectations, and reiterate, why you always ask the “where”, “with whom”, and “when”; and why its important to call the parent of a friend who is having a “gathering” to find out if they will be present at the event. I’d like to say “my kid doesn’t do that” – but statistics aren’t on my side.
It’s perfectly acceptable in European countries like France for teenagers to drink wine at dinner. I think teens need to have some level of experience drinking responsibly before leaving for college where they’ll stand no chance socializing with the boarding school grads who will drink them under the table.
A number of studies have shown that France is facing serious concerns about teenage binge drinking. Yes, many parents in France allow their teens to drink alcohol at home but current trends are showing dinge drinking and there is a rising number of French teenagers who drink heavily. It’s estimated that approx. 20% of French 17-year-olds are drunk at least three times a month, even though new laws in France prohibit anyone under 18 from buying alcohol.
Why do you suggest we get our high schooler ready for drinking matches? Are we that competitive?
While we are at it, We Better teach them how to use a bong too!